Slayers: Midnight's Shadow
by Label D
Summary: Lina and the gang have always triumphed over evil... And Lina has never met her match... Too bad all good things must come to an end... This is the beginning.


The Slayers: Midnight's Shadow  
  
PG-13  
  
Lina and the gang have always triumphed over evil... And Lina has never met her match... Too bad all good things must come to an end... Or DO they???  
  
Authors note: I have been a fan of The Slayers series for a long time now. I have read several good fanfics, including the legendary Slayers Trilogy by TwoFlower (MUST READ IF YOU HAVE NOT). In fact, it was that fanfic that I drew my inspiration from. Anyway, read on as this is my first, and hopefully not last, fanfic. Enjoy!!!  
  
P.S. This is the second version of this chapter. Thx for the feedback!

-brk-

"Next up, the finals!"  
  
A thunderous applause rang out from the crowd, causing the wooden frame of the stadium to vibrate. Never before had so many people attended the MagiCon before. Here in the city of Gyria, not many people outside of town came through here, even for this event. However, this year was going to be special. This year, a new champion would be crowned in the conventions most popular event, Free-Style Combative Magic.  
  
The rules were simple: Each contestant has 60 seconds to prepare and cast one spell. Points are awarded in several categories including effectiveness, degree of difficulty, and showmanship. As the stage hands setup the playing field, the announcer bellowed out for the next contestant.  
  
"Our first contestant in this final round is... Lazlo Magius!"  
  
Again, the crowd burst into cheers. As the figure made his way into the arena, the crowd began to chant "Lazlo" over and over again. Obviously quite popular, the magician played the crowd like a skillful bard would in telling a story to an already worked up audience.  
  
Dressed in a sparkling red tunic and tight pants to match, he had all the characteristics of an a-typical wizard: Long, well kempt hair; Smooth skin; pearly white teeth... come to think of it, he didn't look anything like a wizard, but more of a pretty boy than anything else. However, the crowd ate it up and cheered him louder as he made his way to the small alter at the far end of the arena floor. At a wave of his hand, a hush befell the crowd. All eyes were on the wizard. All was quiet until the wizard suddenly yelled out with incredible force...  
  
"DYNAST BRASS!!!"  
  
A pentagram appeared at the base of the 'target' the stage hands had set up in the center of the arena. Lightning began to strike at the ground around it until, suddenly, it rushed to the center of the pentagram and vaporized the stage prop in an awesome display of multicolored lightning and thunderous 'BOOM's.  
  
As the spells effects finally died down, the crowd exploded in applause, and, if it were possible, overshadowed the explosion of the previous spell. As the judges were tallying up the wizard's score, a tall blond haired figure turned to his companion in awe.  
  
"Wow! That Lando guy is pretty good! All those pretty lights..."  
  
"Whatever. And, not that it matters anyway, but his name is Lazlo, jellyfish for brains!"  
  
"Thats what I said, Lando."  
  
"No, its... oh shut up would ya!"  
  
Deciding to leave the discussion at that, the two waited for the score to be announced.  
  
"In an impressive display of power, the judges have awarded a phenomenal score of: 10 out of 10!"  
  
At the sound of this, the crowd erupted once again, only this time, they began to almost weep. It had been so long since they had seen a magic user with so much promise. Finally, the people had someone to look to in order to set things right in times of fear and pushy restaurant patrons. Someone would finally triumph over...  
  
"Next up, the defending Free-Style Combative Magic champion, Lina Inverse!"

-brk-

"Hey, waiter! More of this chicken! And step on it!"  
  
"Yeah, and bring some rolls while your at it!"  
  
It had been like this all night. After the MagiCon, the town had slumped into a traumatized lull, not too dissimilar to the one experienced by a 10 year old who had just found out that his favorite toy had been eaten by his pet dog and the dog was stolen by his best friend that had just made friends with the bullies at school. Needless to say, service was a tad slow tonight.  
  
"Hey, nice call with the rolls."  
  
"I know, there just so good! Too bad everyone seems so down... Look, even that dog looks like it is about to bury itself alive."  
  
With the service starting to become nonexistant, the not so tall and even less blond figure decided that what these people really needed was something to get the blood pumping... Now lets see...  
  
"Hey waiter, hurry up would ya! Come on, put some pep in your step! Some jive in your stride. Some... come on Gourry, help me out."  
  
"Hmmm... OH, I got one!"  
  
"And?"  
  
"Hold on, I am thinking..."  
  
"You just said you had one though!"  
  
"I did?"  
  
"Oh for the love of... just tell me!"  
  
"Ok. How about: Some motion in your ocea..."  
  
Before he could get the last part out of his mouth, Lina shoved an entire loaf of bread in his mouth, silencing what was inevitably going to be obliviously suggestive. See as she was going to get no help from Gourry, she turned to find the nearest waiter, only to find out that during this last altercation with, all the customers and staff had vanished from the building. Odd, considering that she had just been kindly requesting some additional food items from the all to rude waiter. For some reason, this didn't seem right to her.Something was definitely going on.  
  
Spitting out the remaining bread that he was unable to inhale, Gourry surveyed the diner. It was just your generic, one in every town kind of place. Single room, bar, tables, chairs, kitchen, completely devoid of movement or life... Wait a minute!  
  
"You know what, I think everyone left!"  
  
For the first time that day, Gourry had made an accurate observation, albeit a blatantly obvious one, but correct none less. Lina began to feel anxious, unable to site still. Sweat began to form at her forehead, creating beads of crystal around her black bandana. Feeling nervous, her eyes kept darting from left to right across the room. Suddenly, a rumble could be heard, low at first, but louder and louder until the table began to shake. That was it. She couldn't take it anymore...  
  
"WHERE IS MY CHICKEN!!! I AM STILL HUNGRY!!!"  
  
Moving in a rabid panic, Lina jumped up from her chair and bolted straight to the kitchen. Several crashes could be heard from outside the diner, and it was all Gourry could do to get her back into the dining room.  
  
"Poor Lina... This is the 3rd place this week that has flat out left in the middle of dinner." He thought to himself.  
  
"WHERES MY CHICKEN!!! WHERE IS IT!!!"  
  
As soon as the words escaped her mouth, the diner's front doors opened up, revealing a figure dress in completely chard through clothes, save for the white bandages covering what would have been skin around his face and hands. The figure entered the room with such a snooty air about him, Gourry believed him to be a mummy of some old royal guy. Having apparently found his prey, the figure outstretched his finger and pointed it at Lina.  
  
"Now, to get my revenge, Lina Inverse!"  
  
Upon delivering his line, the figure began to laugh menacingly towards the ceiling. Lina stared blankly at the figure, as if his presence was not even registering in her eyes. This only served to further anger the bandaged character.  
  
"You want to ignore me, the Great Lazlo! Then ignore this!" said the wizard just as he began to gather magic power around him. A ball of flame gathered in his hand, and what followed next can only be described as 'WOOPS'.  
  
As Lazlo brought his hand back to hurl what would have been quite a high charged Fireball spell directly at Lina, the spell suddenly flared to full power, catching one of the bandages wrapped on his face on fire. Within moments, he was engulfed in flames and ran about desperately trying to extinguish them. In panic, he began chanting away with attack spells, utterly decimating the diner. Within minutes, all that remained was a lone table with a small basket on it. His final panic stricken act before just hitting the ground and rolling was to decimate the table with an adrenaline fueled 'Dill Brand'. All that remained of the basket was splintered wood and a few dirt covered pieces chicken.  
  
Like being slingshot back to reality, Lina's mind suddenly assimilated what had just happened: Crazy guy catches himself on fire, runs around and maliciously ruins a perfectly good basket of sliced chicken. Formulating responsive action...  
  
"My... My chicken... MY CHICKEN!!!"  
  
"Whats the matter, did I strike a nerve? Not ignoring me now, are you! To think that some half wit like you could defeat me, the Great Lazlo!" taunted the wizard as he picked his now smoldering self off the ground. After dusting himself off to his satisfaction, which took longer than it should have given the situation, he continued his verbal barrage.  
  
"Actually, now that I can get a good look at you, you don't look a day over 12! You're built like a beanpole, and just LOOK at that chest! I guess the nursery rhyme is true! I'm sure you've heard it!"  
  
Feeling more confident, Lazlo decided to step his performance up to the next level, by doing the unspeakable...  
  
"I can see you by the look on your face that you don't quite know what I am talking about, so let me sing it for you!"  
  
There are six things at are never done in the face of utter destruction. Three of these things involve things not to say to a god. Two of them can only be described as using a form of reverse psychology on a certain mazuko. And the last thing that should never, ever be done in this situation...  
  
'LITTLE GIRL, LITTLE CHEST,  
SCARE A DRAGON FROM HIS NEST!'  
  
Lina's eyes glazed over, seemingly from an unseen blow to the face. Gourry rushed to her side, fearing she might just fall over dead. Upon looking at her face, however, Gourry knew that now was not the time to be protector. It was time to find cover. Like a coiling snake feinting defeat, Lina struck back with her forked tongue. Well, ok, her tongue wasn't forked, but you get the picture.  
  
"Hey, I remember you! Aren't you the guy that I toasted earlier today? Yeah, I thought I smelled stench of defeat in here!"  
  
"H... How dare you speak to me like that! I'll have you know that I am schooled in the arcane arts, you dunce! If... If I wanted to, I could destroy you in an instant!"  
  
Lina, regaining her composer, found the edge she was looking for. Now, just add a pinch of...  
  
"Ok hotshot, prove it!"  
  
This was not the response Lazlo was expecting. Fumbling over what to do next, he took the manly way out. No pint sized girl could beat him, could she?  
  
"V...Very well then... Your funeral... FIRRRREBAAAALL!!!"  
  
A bright orange ball formed in the wizards hand, only this time it did not backfire onto himself, but was hurled ever so on target at Lina. The concussion knocked Gourry nearly knocked Gourry off his feet, and he had to duck for cover as a flaming piece of diner flew by. As the smoke cleared, Lazlo was all smiles... Until he heard a giggle, quiet at first, growing more and more sinister.  
  
"Hahahaha... coughcough Hehehe... You call that power? I call that blowing smoke, you No Talent, Good for Nothing but Target Practice, Piece of Trash! And guess what, its time to take out the garbage!  
  
Lina slowly closed her eyes and began to whisper... And Gourry started running.  
  
"Darkness beyond Twilight..."

-brk-

The ensuing destruction was later to be known in the countries stories as the Day of Hope's Remission. Bards would sing of it's sadness, while parents told their children to be good or else... or else SHE might return. Needless to say, the MagiCon was relocated to Atlas City, as the stadium in Gyria was now totally destroyed, thanks in part to an amplified Dragon Slave in the final round of the convention, and then to another one not 4 hours later.  
  
But, the people did at least have one thing to be happy about: Since the booth that the judges had been sitting in had been removed from the map, Lina was in a sense disqualified from the competition, and there for lost her championship to the challenger, Lazlo. However, following an investigation in the mysterious disappearance of the new champion, the MagiCon committee deemed to abolish the event in its entirety, to prevent yet another rise in their insurance premium.

-brk-

It was a beautiful spring morning. She always did enjoy morning time in the spring, though she would never openly admit to it. New flowers and the scent of morning dew always reminded her of home when she was a little girl. Oh, how she would run through the vast meadows and frolic around with the forest animals. And how she would listen to the soothing sounds of Gourry snoring...  
  
"Gourry! Wake up you big lummox! How am I supposed to reminisce with you snoring a tree down!"  
  
"Huh... Wah... Lina...? Wa ya wan...ZZZzzz?"  
  
At this, Gourry was right back to his lumberjack ways, snoring loud enough to terrify small woodland creatures away from their homes.  
  
"HEY! I said WAKE UP!!!"  
  
Moaning quite loudly, Gourry could only mumble somewhat of a mediocre rebuttal.  
  
"Lina... Its too early...Lemealone...ZZZzzz"  
  
For Lina, who has the patients of... actually nothing really compares, so lets just say she has the patients of TIME, which waits for NOTHING, this was just unacceptable. Something had to be done, and done now.  
  
"Fine... you don't want to get up on you own, that's fine with me... Oh, by the way," she said as she outstretched her hand towards Gourry's sleeping mass, "Aqua Create!"  
  
Suddenly, a gallon or so of ice cold water materialized inches from Gourry's head. Giggling to herself, Lina followed the water with her pinky finger as it crashed all at once down on top of him. This had just the effect she had been hoping for.  
  
As the two chased each other around the clearing, each one attempting to extract or avoid some sort of revenge, neither noticed the approaching figure heading there way...

-brk-

Well, there you have it. Part one of what will hopefully be a good fanfic in the Slayers Universe. Please, tell me what you think so I can incorporate some good constructive criticism into my writing style.  
  
Stay tuned!


End file.
